Inspirational teachers and stand-out schools were held up as beacons of excellence at a special awards ceremony.
The Swindon Education Excellence Awards 2017 were organised by Swindon Borough Council to recognise the outstanding contribution of staff and education providers throughout the borough.
The awards, which were sponsored by Zurich Municipal and held at The Marriott Hotel in Old Town, saw 43 Excellence Awards and 10 Healthy Schools Awards presented to proud school staff.
The Mayor of Swindon, Coun Maureen Penny, Swindon Borough Council’s cabinet member for children’s services and school attainment, Coun Fionuala Foley, and David Jones, national education manager for Zurich Municipal were on hand to give out the prizes. Wroughton Junior School Choir entertained the award winners and dignitaries with their outstanding singing before the awards ceremony got underway.
The audience also heard the inspirational story of former Olympic rower Guin Batten, representing the Youth Sports Trust, who gave a detailed account of her record-breaking effort to row across the Atlantic Ocean from New York to Falmouth last summer.
The awards were split into a number of categories with eight individual teachers receiving Teacher Excellence Awards including: Amanda Thoburn (Holy Family Catholic Primary School), Laura Burchall and Tania Maggott (both from Lawn Manor Academy), Jaspreet Bansal and Ruth Farrow (both from Dorcan Academy), Lisa Murray (Grange Infant Community School), and Christine Mueller and Katrina Baxter (from Stratton Education Centre).
A host of schools were highlighted in recognition of pupil progress, good practice within schools, school achievement and school support.
There was also a category designed especially for headteachers who have made a special contribution to education in Swindon. Retiring headteachers Keith Defter (The Commonweal School), John Saunders (Highworth Warneford School) and Jane Wheatley (St Leonards CE Primary School) were all recognised as was Mags Clark the headteacher of Crowdy’s Hill School and Helen James, headteacher of the Marlborough House Adolescent Unit
Laura McMahon of Dorcan Academy scooped The TeachFirst Teacher of the Year Award and eight teachers from Nova Hreod Academy shared the Celebrating Success Award.
Coun Foley said: “The awards ceremony was a great success and it was a fitting end to the academic year. We have so much to be proud of in our schools and the awards are an opportunity for the Council to show how much we value the hard work that is going on within the education system in Swindon.
“My hat goes off to all the award winners, they were all amazing but I must pay tribute to Mags Clark, Keith Defter, John Saunders, Jane Wheatley and Helen James who received awards for their special contribution to Swindon education – they have worked tirelessly throughout their careers to help young people in our borough and their accolades are fully deserved.”
Swindon Education Excellence Awards 2017 – Winners
Swindon Pupil Progress Awards
Swindon Academy - Highest Progress 8
Seven Fields Primary School - Reading Progress
Goddard Park Academy Primary - School Reading Progress
Westrop Primary School - Maths Progress
St Catherine’s Catholic Primary School - Maths Progress
Beechcroft Infant School - Most Improved Phonics
Schools Good Practice Awards
Abbey Meads Primary School - Curriculum Innovation
Millbrook Primary School - Cultural Diversity & Community Cohesion
Oaktree Nursery & Primary School - Social Inclusion and Nurture
Oakfield Project - Inclusion
Oliver Tomkins CE Schools - Inclusion and Support for Vulnerable Pupils
Brook Field Primary School - SEND and Inclusion
Lawn Manor Academy - EAL Practice
Lawn Manor Academy - ITT, NQTs and TF
Holy Family Catholic Primary School - Support for Vulnerable Pupils
Swindon School Achievement Awards
Chiseldon Primary School - Maths (100%)
Nythe Primary School - All Subjects
Moredon Primary School - All Subjects
Lydiard Park Academy - Highest 5 A*-C
St Joseph’s Catholic College - Highest English
The Ridgeway School & 6th Form College - Highest Maths
Wanborough Primary School - Highest Phonics
Teacher Excellence Awards
Amanda Thoburn - Holy Family Catholic Primary School
Laura Burchall – Lawn Manor Academy
Tania Maggott – Lawn Manor Academy
Jaspreet Bansal - Dorcan Academy
Ruth Farrow - Dorcan Academy
Lisa Murray - Grange Infant Community School
Christine Mueller - Stratton Education Centre - EOTAS
Katrina Baxter - Stratton Education Centre - EOTAS
Special Contribution to Swindon Education
Mags Clark - Headteacher Crowdy’s Hill School
Keith Defter - Head teacher The Commonweal School
John Saunders - Headteacher Highworth Warneford School
Jane Wheatley - Headteacher St Leonards CE Primary School
Helen James - Headteacher of the Marlborough House Adolescent Unit
Swindon School Support Awards
Alison Lowe - Headteacher Even Swindon Primary School
Gary Evans - Chief Executive Officer Blue Kite Academy Trust
Sharon Peapell - Deputy Headteacher Haydonleigh Primary School
Celebrating Success - Nova Hreod Academy
Kerry Camm, Lindsey Ford, Benn Griffin, Joanne Thompson, Rebecca Sayers, Jannine Clapp, Phil , Sophie Fegan
TeachFirst Teacher of the Year Award
Laura McMahon Dorcan Academy
Healthy Schools Awards
Sugar Swaps:
Holy Family Catholic Primary School
Lethbridge Primary School
Westlea Primary School
Mental Health:
Oliver Tomkins CE Schools
Colebrook Junior School
Westlea Primary School
Silver:
Lethbridge Primary School
Robert Le Kyng Primary School
Wanborough Primary School
Gold:
Westlea Primary school
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